Products | Thrust Bearings

Thrust bearings are designed to support loads parallel to the axis of rotation. Single direction thrust bearings are composed of 2 races and a complement of balls. There are two common thrust bearings.

Full-complement thrust bearings – which contain a full complement of balls inside the bearings that touch one another. This design is intended for maximum load capacity and limited speed.

National Bearings specializes in retainer-based custom thrust bearings because they offer tremendous flexibility in design, can withstand high speeds, and provide for greater customization to meet the needs of an application.

By working with National Bearings, you can be assured our design team will create custom thrust bearings that precisely fit your need. We will individually address space, load, speed and environmental issues to create bearings that will match the lifecycle of your application without wasting resources on "one size fits all" thrust bearings.

National Bearings manufactures thrust bearings using both balls and needles in a wide range of materials. Designs can include:

Thrust washers/races with or without a ball groove

Plastic or metal retainers

Thrust bearings can be designed to carry loads from ounces to tons. By changing the size and count of the balls or needles, bearings can be tailored to meet the exact requirements of your application. To accommodate the balance of load and speed in your application, we focus on:

Ball /Needle Count

Ball/Needle Diameter

Material Selection

Race Design (flat or grooved)

Environmental conditions must be addressed in every effective design of thrust bearings. Corrosion, friction and temperature can be controlled through careful design. Features that can be tailored include: